The Minnesota Wild re-signed defenseman Calen Addison to a one-year contract extension worth $825,000 on Tuesday ahead of training camp, which begins on Thursday, Sept. 21. The 23-year-old was the Wild's final unsigned player and unlike goaltender Filip Gustavsson and winger Brandon Duhaime, Addison didn't have arbitration rights this summer.
The Wild now have $818,076 in cap space, according to PuckPedia, which means there will be little flexibility to carry a 13th forward out of training camp. Nic Petan ($762,500), Steven Fogarty ($762,500), Jujhar Khaira ($775,000), Vinni Lettieri ($775,000), Nick Swaney ($775,000) and Jake Lucchini ($775,000) are players the Wild can afford as of now.
Addison, who the Wild acquired in the Jason Zucker trade back in Feb. 2020, is coming off a rookie season that can best be described as a mix bag. The right-shot defender scored three goals and 29 points in 62 games last season with a -17 rating.
Addison finished tied for fifth in assists (26) and 13th in points (29) among rookies. As for rookie defenseman, his 29 points ranked third behind Buffalo's Owen Power (35) and Ottawa's Jake Sanderson (32).
Addison did most of his damage last season on the power play, finishing first in the rookie class with 18 power play points. Offensively, he showcased his playmaking and ability to make things happen from the blue line. Addison proved to be an important asset on the Wild's man advantage last season, finishing with the highest usage among defenseman on the team with about 216 minutes.
While he only scored three goals last season, there's no question he can score. That potential was on display when he showed off his slapshot and mobility against the Tampa Bay Lightning in January.
To score more, though, he will need to increase his shot volume as he finished with just 77 shots, or 1.24 shots per game. Addison was worth 1.1 standings points above replacement last season, and he led the Wild with a on-ice 65.91 expected goals for percentage in all situations.
The Wild will need him to continue being a factor offensively this upcoming season, but are also looking for him to improve his five-on-five defensive play.
Wild GM and President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin told The Athletic in May: “He has ability to be better five-on-five and he needs to be and that needs to be his focus. You can’t just be a specialty player in the National Hockey League. It’s just too good. There’s no room on a roster for just a specialty guy. So, we know he has the ability. It’s just a matter of focusing in on it and getting to work on it. He’s still a young player and there’s more growing to do.”
Addison will be an important piece on the Wild's backend this season and will need to take the next step in rounding out his game. And for him, this one-year prove it deal will provide him the chance to get a bigger contract next summer.
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(All data and information via Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick, Hockey-Reference and Puck Pedia)